Al-Attiyah, Gutierrez amongst winners of ADNOC Oasis Prologue in front of Al Dhannah City crowds bignewsnetwork.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from bignewsnetwork.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
After Mattias Ekström lost hope of a strong finish in this year's Dakar Rally when his Audi RS Q e-tron had a suspension failure on Sunday's seventh stage, the Swedish driver might have given up.
The unique challenges of the Dakar Rally's new "48 Chrono" double stage a 835km/519-mile slog through the dunes of Saudi Arabia's Empty Quarter tested the limits of the competitors' endurance, so it was appropriate that one of the greatest rallying talents of all time came out on top.
Thursday brought a new wrinkle to the Dakar Rally as the first of a two-day “48th Chrono” that throws some unprecedented challenges at the competitors.